The Everglades :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

The Everglades How come the Everglades are so hard to love? How come some people go there and come back full of mosquito bites, all disappointed and upset from their Everglades trip, while others become so involved that they cannot forget the Everglades and choose to live surrounded by them? What is it? Why do some people get it and why do others not? There sure is something. Everglades, tell me, what is your secret? Why are you so harsh with some people and so generous with others? What do you need from us? Is there a password? "Open Sesame." I'm the Everglades, the largest national park of Florida. I'm so unique that I do not need your love. I have too much to do to protect my people against you, humans. Why do you want me to give you something when you give me such a hard time? I lived in peace for five thousand years without you, humans. I succeeded for a long time in holding you back, away from my dear species and me. But I failed. Little by little, you have invaded and devastated my land. You have destroyed my water flow, made almost extinct some of my most precious species. I had to surrender and ask for help. I made a deal with your American government to be protected and became a national park some fifty years ago. In exchange, I had to agree to show my wonders to people who come to visit me. However, I did not forgive men so easily. You have betrayed me so many times. As for my little tree snails, you have ruined them. You have destroyed my artwork. For so many years, I was patient enough to create tree snail hammocks, all with their population of tree snails unique and beautiful. Each hammock had tree snails with a different pattern of colors. But, you, humans, have destroyed everything; your cupidity and stupidity have altered the distinctiveness of my little tree snails. Because of you, they are no longer unique. Nevertheless, I know that I can trust some of you as I can trust my friends the Indians. They have always showed me respect. I lived in peace with the Calusas, Ais, Jeaga, Tequestas for so many years. I helped the Seminoles when they were escaping from the White men.

Balancing Family and Work Life

Balancing Family and Work Life Paul Cody SOC 402: Contemporary Social Problems & the Workplace Prof. Paula Zobisch August 2, 2012 ? Balancing work life and family life is important. Such a simple statement that is, as the cliche goes, easier said than done. In the 50’s and 60’s most families were of the traditional nature, in that there was a husband, wife and kids. The women may or may not have worked, and if they did it was until the first child was born (Hertz, 2001, p. 23).The mothers would leave their jobs for an extended period of time to care for the child or children and in quite a few cases the mother wouldn’t return to the workforce. I think one of the main reasons this was possible is women didn’t make nearly as much a men so the impact on the finances was not that hard to overcome. I feel another reason was that women weren’t as career driven as women of today. Women of that time were, generally speaking, more concerned with raising chil dren and taking care of the home.Now, in the twenty-first century, the family structure is different. There are still the traditional households of male breadwinner/female homemaker, but now we see more and more of duel-earner families, and single parent families. The process of integrating the demands of our families and our jobs remains a source of stress and continual accommodation for many of us (Fredriksen-Goldsen & Scharlach, 2000, p. 248). The economic downturn added additional stress on families, as many went through and are still going through the loss of employment.In duel-earner families the loss of employment by the father and/or mother has put additional stress on the family structure. The effects of loss of income can be felt in different areas of the family. Depending on the length of the job loss families may be unable to afford daycare, gas in their vehicle(s), or even the vehicles themselves. Many families have suffered losses, from their cars to their homes. When the parents do find employment the balance of work and family is affected due to the parents needing to work longer hours or multiple jobs to recover from the previous unemployment.Men and women today are asking how they can find the time and energy to fulfill their various commitments to work, family, and other people and groups, and how to achieve satisfaction and success in all the different facets of their lives. (Work and Family – Allies or Enemies? , para. 4, p. 3). This quandary pertaining to work and family affects the pursuit of careers and the pursuit of a fulfilling family life. Balancing family and work life is a major challenge in my household. My wife and I both work full time jobs that require more than 40 hours a week.We have four children, three of whom are very active in different groups as well as church, and a 17 month old. It would be nice if my wife could work part time or not at all but at this stage in my career I’m not in a position to support the family by myself. We have the traditional family model and I feel that we are in a better situation than if we were single parents. We are able to share household duties, parenting duties, transportation duties (it is an issue with four children who all have to be in different places at different times), and financial duties.Family friendly employers are becoming more and more prominent in the workforce. Many companies have created time off policies, flexible schedules, and have even provided child care facilities right at the job site. Companies must also adhere to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which became law in 1993. This gives some protection to workers who need to take time off to care for themselves or immediate family members. Maternity and Paternity leave are also provided by employers for new mothers and fathers. I feel that a father’s role in the care of an infant is very important.Not only is this an important time for bonding with a newborn but also bonding again with the wife/mother. It’s very balancing to have a father take some of the load off of the mother and also develop an early relationship with a newborn. â€Å"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather my sparks burn out in a blaze than be stifled in dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in a magnificent glow than asleep and permanent as a planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days rying to prolong them. I shall use my time† – Jack London (Clawson, 2009, p. 3). Being able to balance work and home life is essential to living life to the fullest. Employment at a company that is not flexible in regards to family time and family needs puts strain and stress on all family members. The parents may feel that they aren’t spending enough time as a family and the children may feel neglected. Many men face having to trade off career and personal values while they search for way s to make dual-earner families work (Friedman & Greenhaus, 2000, p. ). Teleworking is a new way to balance work and family life. Many parents are finding that teleworking offers the possibility of being close to their family and making money. Some of the benefits are increased time and work-location flexibility, more control over the pace and schedules of work, the possibility of adjusting work in response to childcare or eldercare needs, and decreased time in commuting which provides more time for the family (Cullen, 2203, p. 12).Social partners and governments have invested many resources in highlighting both the business and social benefits accruing from conscious attempts to enable individuals to balance their work and family/private lives (Cullen & Norbert, 2003, p. 11-12). There have been many changes in policies and standards with companies that have benefits for families. Some of the changes are childcare allowances, enhanced maternity leave, unpaid leave during school holid ays, and guaranteed Christmas leave for employees with families.The importance of balancing work life and family life is increasingly important today. Certain aspects of work and family life help affect integration between the two domains and make them mutually enriching (Friedman & Greenhaus, 2000, p. 5). Being able to balance work life and home life is important to someone if their family is important to them. ? References Clawson, J. 2009. Balancing Your Life: Executive Lessons for Work, Family and Self. Retrieved from Cullen, K. , Norbert, L. 2003. Work and Family in the eWork Era. Retrieved from

American Fiction

Society seems to play important roles in the betterment of life of an individual. Following paper will briefly highlight the differences in themes of three novels; namely â€Å"My Antonia,† by Willa Cather, â€Å"The Age of Innocence,† by Edith Wharton, and â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† by Ernest Hemingway. Introduction ‘Age of Innocence’ written by Edith Wharton in 1920 is a story emerging from the 1870s surrounding an upper class couple in new York city awaiting marriage. Newland Archer, a young lawyer, awaits his marriage with May Welland belonging to one of the riches and best families in New York.This marriage depends on the choice of bride made by Newland Archer but this choice seems to be doubtful after his interaction with the bride’s cousin, Ellen Olenska, returning from Europe after separation from her husband Count Olenski. Countess has decided to divorce the Count, a rather unacceptable decision for her family. Persuasions are worked o n the Countess to make her return to the Count but all in vain. Instead, the interaction between Newland and Ellen grows until as decided by the families, unfortunately, Newland gets married to May.As Ellen continuously refuses to return to the Count, the Count and her family withhold all financial help and support to the Countess. This novel is based on a story and characters that are surrounded by their societies guiding these characters to do the right thing as ‘required’. Although running from typical societal rules, Newland could get married to Ellen but as the families had already arranged for the marriage of May and Newland, there was no way to refuse to the preplanned marriage and leave May, as families in those times were more terrified about being disgraced.Thereby assumptions and morals followed in the American society in 1870s are challenged in this novel with no condemnations of these rules and morals whatsoever. American writer Willa Cather wrote ‘My Antonia’ in 1918. This novel is composed of five books. The story encompasses some immigrant families from Nebraska who move to USA to start a new life. Antonia, the main character of the story, is the eldest daughter of a Bohemian family among the other immigrant families. Jim Burden, narrator of the story is the character who falls in love with Antonia.The five books of this novel highlight the life of Antonia starting from her childhood until getting married and becoming a mother. After a depression based suicide of Antonia’s father, Antonia survives a hard life on the prairie farms of Black Hawk, Nebraska. For the Harlings family in a town nearby, she works as a house cleaner and a cook gaining a reputation of the most beautiful girl in town that upsets the Harlings. Larry Donovan, Antonia’s fiance flees the town before marriage abandoning Antonia pregnant with his child.Antonia finds a happy life being married to Cuzak having ten children with him on the f arms. Jim, on the other hand, is younger than Antonia but is involved in her while Antonia still takes him as a child. Jim attends college and starts studying and after a longer period, still having affection for Antonia in his heart, returns to Black Hawk and finds that she is now a mother of ten children and happily married. All Jim decides to live with now is the memory of Antonia and an affection that he has for her family.Thereby the main theme of this novel is change and transformations of life. ‘A Farewell to Arms’ was written by Ernest Hemingway in 1929. The story emerges from the period of First World War, surrounding a nurse Catherine Barkley who falls in love with an American soldier Frederic Henry. Cynicism of soldiers and displacement of populations that follow wars have been highlighted in the novel. ‘A Farewell to Arms’ is divided into five books that highlight the life and times of these two people during the war.These five books have highli ghted changes in Henry’s philosophy about life and universe, as Catehrine brings order in his life making him understand the importance of values as morality, dignity, and honor. First book talks about the relationship in its beginning stages. The couple spends some time in Milan in summers, being the topic of second book. Third book highlights Henry returning to the battle unit and killing a sergeant for which he is arrested by the battle police for interrogation, where a possibility of Henry being executed arises which he escapes by jumping into a river.Fourth book talks about the couple reuniting in Switzerland. The fifth book highlights a quiet peaceful life being lived by the couple until Catherine undergoes hemorrhage during labor of their son that causes her death making Henry accept the sad reality of death making Henry understand the meaning of life, changing his cynical philosophy. Contrast between Three Novels A great contrast exists between three novels. ‘Ag e of innocence’ written by Edith Wharton talks about the societal rules being followed in New York in 1870s that includes an element of disgrace associated with divorce of a daughter in a family.Giving up personal desires for saving the honor and respect of one’s family is the main theme of this story. A caring aspect of society has been highlighted in this case where values and morals of a society promise to protect a woman within the secure boundaries of her family. Divorce in late 19th century was considered as a disgrace and an invitation to scandals thought of as a threat to women in their future life. On the other hand, a connection has been built between Antonia and her surrounding society in ‘My Antonia’.No caring aspect of the society has been highlighted in the story as compared to ‘Age of innocence’. Men that surround Antonia are shown to follow no rules and morals of their society, as it is evident in case of her first fiance fleei ng and abandoning Antonia pregnant before marriage, making her face shame in front of the society and her family. Changes take place in Antonia as she faces these tragedies being alone until life blesses her with a husband and ten children giving her a peaceful and a protected life on the farms.There is no connection between the characters and their society in case of ‘A Farewell to Arms’. The main reason being the background of the novel, as it was written in the time of First World War when the only matter under consideration is saving one’s own self from death. Wars are defined as tragic thereby any story emerging from these times is tragic. The story highlights a tragic love story that sets in the First World War surrounding a soldier who gives up his military career for the fear of death.Solders think about the universe as being an unordered and an unprotected existence with no God to watch over with no evidence of justice in the surroundings. Morality, dign ity, and honor are nowhere to be seen in the surroundings were war takes place. Emphasis is given to the brutality, injustice, and futility that follows the war as Henry escapes his cynical thoughts about the universe being disordered with the help of Catherine. Henry in the novel is shown to have a strong disbelief in God thereby there was no belief in faith having a relationship with life and morality.A strong atheistic belief existed in Henry and his peers linking it with nil existence of faith thus no morality, justice and no need of moral rules in the society. Henry is shown to understand the meaning of life by the ways he struggles to escape the interrogation and execution in the hands of the police. As the name of the novel indicates, Henry says farewell to not only the arms and his military career by making an escape but also to the cynical philosophy that he held about life.Understanding that struggles can be a part of life, Henry struggles to reunite with Catherina, althou gh defeat waits in the end. However, all that matters in the end is to realize the meaning of an existence of the universe and a God. Thus, there is no connection of this novel with the other two novels, as the other two novels do not talk about disbelief in the existence of universe and morality. In fact, the characters in the other two novels have been shown to live in a society built around principles of morality.A strong role has been suggested by the two novels in the lives of its characters but there is no belief in society nor its existence in the case of third novel thereby there is no role of society being played in the betterment of the life of its characters in ‘A Farewell to Arms’. Conclusion There is a prominent contrast in the three novels. First novel ‘Age of Innocence’ talks about shaping an individuals’ life based on rules and regulations that are shaped by a society and families that surrounds him; as these morals promise to protect the individuals.Second novel talks about the slow transitions that take place in the life of an individual living in a society with individuals not following morality to protect an individual. In the third novel, the main theme is a change in the philosophy of an individual about life and the universe while struggling to reunite with his love while escaping death. Works Cited Johnson, D. Claudia. , and Johnson, Elso, Vernon. The social impact of the novel: a reference guide. USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002.

The Powers of the Prime Minister The WritePass Journal

The Powers of the Prime Minister Introduction The Powers of the Prime Minister IntroductionThe Roles of the Prime MinisterLimits of his powerIs the Prime Minister too powerful?ConclusionRelated Introduction The purpose of this essay is to describe and discuss the powers of the British Prime Minister and which implications arise from his position for the government and politics. This essay will consist of three parts. In the first part the main powers of the Prime Minister (PM), currently David Cameron, will be considered. These include his tasks as head of government, the right to select his cabinet and to dismiss ministers, to represent the country abroad and more functions, which will be   explained in more detail below. In the second part the limits of his powers will be illustrated and how effective they are. These will lead to the third section, where it will be discussed whether the Prime Minister is too powerful. The focus will be especially on the argument whether Britain has a more prime ministerial government rather than a Cabinet government. Furthermore a comparison with the powers of the German chancellor is made, and it will be reviewed if the organisation of the office of German Chancellor is a better manner to regulate the powers of the PM. Lastly, it is discussed which reforms are possible to reduce the Prime Ministers powers. The Roles of the Prime Minister As head of the UK government, the PM is probably the most influential person in British politics. To the present day 52 men and one woman have passed through the doors of Number 10 Downing Street as British Prime Minister. The office of the PM is the creation of convention, and the role and the powers conferred on him still depend mainly on convention and political circumstances. His powers are not defined in legislation, instead they evolved as a matter of political expediency and historically evolution. Moreover, it now appears to be a firm convention that the Prime Minister should be a member of the House of Commons. Most of the powers to be discussed derive from the royal prerogative.The royal prerogative is supposed to give the Monarch substantial power as the Head of State. However, the prerogative powers should be understood „not as personal discretionary powers of the Monarchâ€Å", but as „clearly circumscribed constitutional duties to be carried out on the advice of the PM. He is the principal government figure in the House of Commons and has a general authority to intervene in any sphere of government. The Prime Minister controls the central government apparatus in that he decides how the tasks of government should be allocated to departments and whether departments should be created, amalgamated or abolished. Furthermore it is the PM who appoints the members of the Cabinet and „sets the paceâ€Å" of Cabinet activity. He may ask ministers to resign, recommend the Queen to dismiss them or, with their consent, move them to other offices. Lord Atlee has said that an important quality in a Premier is the capacity to dismiss inadequate ministers. The Prime Minister is able to control Cabinet discussions and the process of decision-making by setting the order of business, and may name one of the Cabinet to be Deputy Prime Minister, or first Secretary of State. Therefore the power of appointment is one of the chief ways a Prime Minister keeps his cont rol over his party. By controlling influential committees, the PM can also ensure that he drives the policies of these committees. Accordingly, it can be said that the Prime Minister is in a position to exercise a dominant influence over the Cabinet, having powers that other ministers do not have. The PM customarily holds the titular position of First Lord of the Treasury. His approval is also required for the appointment of the most senior civil servants and important Crown appointments are filled on his nomination, for example, high-ranking members of the Church of England and senior judges. Furthermore, he also has control over the Cabinet Office. The PM, in addition, retains other patronage powers. He still advises the Queen on new peerages, on appointments to the Privy Council and the grant of honours. The Prime Ministers Office supports him in his role as head of government. This includes providing policy advice and ensuring effective communications to Parliament and the public. Most Prime Ministers must take a special interest in foreign affairs, the economy and defence. The Queen is Britain’s head of state, but the PM is Britain’s de facto representative abroad. He often takes a leading role in foreign relations, dealing directly with other heads of gover nment, and is also likely to take the lead on major issues as the national and international response to the crisis in Libya. Another function of the PM is that he is also in a position to dominate if not control the governments communication to the press, and to disclose information about government decisions and the Cabinet business. He has regular meetings with the Queen and is responsible for keeping the Queen informed of the Cabinets handling of affairs. As has become clear above, the PM is involved in all aspects of government in a way that no other government official is, and thus it is safe to say that, despite the limits on his power (see below), the PM can be considered the most influential person in politics. Limits of his power Despite the Prime Ministers emerged position within British politics there are limits to his powers. Firstly, one great limit comes from the party he represents. If the PM loses the support from his partys backbenchers, his position becomes very fragile. Therefore the biggest danger is that a Prime Minister builds up a range of enemies. One example for that is what happened to Margaret Thatcher, when another minister, who disagreed with her policies, put an effective revolt against her style of leadership, which led to her resignation. This means that if the PM loses the support of his party, he will almost always have to resign as PM, as he will not be able to exercise his role effectively. Moreover, all Prime Ministers must include most senior party colleagues in the Cabinet, who could always be some troublemakers, if they dont get the position they would like to have. The PMs powers of appointment are also limited by the need to provide a balance of party views in the Cabinet. Therefore an authoritative leadership of the party is a main factor for a PM to be successful. Additionally there are other ways in which the PMs powers are limited. For instance the fact that he is seen to be publicly responsible for any major mishap that occurs during his time in power. As the most known member of the government, it is he that the public blame when they arent satisfied with politics. Margaret Thatcher was held responsible for the problems in association with the Poll Tax and Tony Blair has been accused of being too friendly with the USA President Bush. This means that the electorate body has the power to remove the PM by way of elections, and so the PM is indirectly also controlled in this way. This is referred to as indirect as the body can not directly stop any decisions the PM makes, but can stop him from continuing in the office of PM when general elections take place by voting for another party. As another limitation can be seen the questioning time on Wednesday, which is an opportunity for the leader of the opposition and other members of the House of Commons to ask the PM supplementary questions on any subject. Therefore he is directly accountable to the Parliament for his actions and decisions. However, the PM will be extensively briefed by government departments in anticipation of likely subjects he could be asked about and they cannot force him to change his engagements. Additionally the European Union has the power to influence government policy by imposing on member states policies. Even though the Conservatives have generally not been very happy with this imposition on the British State, David Cameron still accepted when he became PM that the UK is part of the EU, and that therefore, it has to adhere to certain decisions. He, as PM, had to compromise on this point for him to effectively lead the country. Although the courts have long had the power to determine the existence and extent of a prerogative power, traditionally they have had no power to regulate the manner of its exercise. The position is now governed by the decision of the House of Lords in CCSU v Minister of State for Civil Service (1985). The judiciary placed some restraints on executive use of the royal prerogative. But not every prerogative power is justiciable: matters such as the appointment of Ministers, the disposition of the armed force and the dissolution of Parliament are still beyond judicial control.The justiciability of the prerogative powers could in theory have been a powerful limit on the PMs powers. However, in practice it has shown this was not so, as only limited part of the prerogative powers is in fact justiciable and that there are limits to what extent remedies are available. Also, this limit does not prevent or deter the PM on acting in a particular way, it will only compensate certain groups or p eople after an event has occurred, and so does not even directly affect the PM. As seen above the Prime Minister has big political powers, but this power is also balanced by the fact that there are limitations to that power. Although some of these limitations are really effective, most of the powers of the PM can not easily be influenced. Is the Prime Minister too powerful? In the last 40 years the powers of the Prime Minister within the British political structure have developed to such an extent that some critical politicians and academics now refer to Britain as having a Prime Ministerial government rather than a Cabinet government. He is the „keystone of the Cabinet archâ€Å", occupying a position which is one of the exceptional and peculiar authority. In essence this means that the office of PM is very much attached to the person by which is meant that the individual PM has a discretion in which way to exercise his powers. If the PM is very popular than the limits given above will have very little effect as most of them are heavily dependent on the dislike of and disagreement with the PM and his politics. Recently, more emphasis has been placed on the role of the Prime Minister and less on the Cabinet itself and therefore it is argued that the description of British government simply as „Cabinet governmentâ€Å" had become misleading, for „the country is governed by the Prime Ministerâ€Å". The PM has three main functions, which give him his enormous powers within the British government: being able to appoint and dismiss ministers; by setting the agenda for Cabinet discussions, and by controlling the remit and membership of Cabinet committees. Certainly the way in which these powers are operated naturally differs from one PM to another. This is an immense concentration of power in the hands of the Prime Minister, particularly discharging is one of his ultimate weapons. The argument of prime ministerial dominance seemed to be confirmed by the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. By displacing some important decision-making to informal, ad hoc groups of ministers convened by herself she diminished the role of Cabinet and demonstrated the dominant authority that can be wielded by a PM. As evidence of strengthened prime ministerial control under Mr Blair can be also cited paragraph 9.2 of the Ministerial Code: In order to ensure the effective presentation of government policy, all major interviews and media appearances should be agreed with the No 10 Press Office before any commitments are entered into(). As explained above, therefore the PM is in a position to dominate the governments communication to the press. Another claim of his overwhelming power is that Cabinet meetings are too dominated by the PM. The members of the Cabinet are simply yes-sayers. „With Mr Tony Blair there has been a reversion to a „command and controlâ€Å" premiership with centralised and informal processes of decision-making tending to displace collective discussions in Cabinet and Cabinet committeesâ€Å". Also the doctrine of collective responsibility helps to strengthen the powers of the Prime Minister,   as ministers must not criticise government policy in public. This is underlined by the fact that many decisions of government are not taken by the Cabinet as a whole, but by the Prime Minister in consultation with a few key colleagues. Moreover, there are those who believe that the personality of the Prime Minister is now almost as important as stated party policies. But the implication is that if people vote for personalities as much as issues, then the opponent has no chance of winning the next election as long as the current PMs personality and manner are still popular with the people. All these facts have led some to seek ways to limit or control the power of the PM in order to rehabilitate the Cabinet government. Thus far, it has been established that the PM has great amounts of power and that it seems that   Britain currently has a more prime ministerial government than a Cabinet government. However, to demonstrate whether the PM can be considered as too powerful, it would be best to compare his function with that of the German Federal Chancellor, who has the equivalent role in Germany. Even though the legal foundations of the political systems of the United Kingdom and Germany are very different, the roles of the PM and the Chancellor are in many ways very similar, and so this comparison would be a good way to show how powerful the PM actually is, and whether that could be considered as being too powerful. The German Chancellor is the head of government. Currently this position is held by Angela Merkel of the CDU. The Chancellor determines the guidelines of government policy, so called Richtlinienkompetenz. He is elected every four years by a majority of the members of the Bundestag upon the recommendation of the President. For this election a majority of all elected members of the Bundestag is required, which should ensure to establish a stable government. The Chancellor has the power to choose his ministers and to determines the number of ministries and their responsibilities. Another power is that the Chancellor himself can propose a vote of no confidence.Therefore he can test whether he still enjoys the unlimited support of the governing parties. The powers of the German Chancellor are also limited. Removing the Chancellor from office is an alternative when there is no more political consensus between the parties before a general elections for a new Bundestag.In the German history there have been only three occasions where this happened. This course of action was taken in order to prematurely dissolve the Bundestag, which according to the constitution is otherwise not possible. This ensures that no single party can form a government on its own. Furthermore limitations can be given from decisions of the Federal Constitutional court: It allows the authority and the citizens to present a complaint to abolish a law they found infringing the terms set in Basic Rights. In comparison to the Prime Minister the power to appoint members of high authority, legalise acts and dissolve parliament is vested in the German Bundesprsident. The fifty-year history of the Federal Republic has shown that despite the Chancellors strong position the ability of the government to act cannot be guaranteed by him alone. Even though the Chancellery makes it possible to impose central management and coordination, a non-hierarchical relationship between the Chancellor and his Ministers plays an important role in government practice. In this context the Cabinet deals with important interministerial issues such as the federal budget or tax reform and takes joint decisions on them (principle of joint Cabinet decision-making). In a government coalition the Chancellor is also bound by the terms of the coalition agreement and has to adhere to these terms to avoid straining the coalition. The principle of joint Cabinet decision-making means that the Chancellor and the Ministers decide jointly on matters of general political importance. When there are differences of opinion between Ministers the Chancellor mediates (as a primus inter pares). Cabinet decisions are based on majority rule. The principle of ministerial autonomy means that each Minister conducts the affairs of his ministry independently and on his own responsibility. This means that the Chancellor cannot automatically intervene in his Ministers areas of responsibility. At the same time Ministers must see to it that the decisions they take remain within the limits. As can be seen by this comparison the British PM and the Chancellor in theory have very similar powers, but in practice the PM has a lot more power than the Chancellor as he has more discretion about the execution of these powers. However, before one can say that this means he is too powerful, the effectiveness of the functions of Prime Minister and Chancellor have to be compared. In fact, in the six decades of the Bundestag, there have been only eight Chancellors – a remarkable element of stability. In the same period of time, Britain has had 14 Prime Ministers. In the British parliamentary system usually only has one party in power, because the first-past-the-post system there favours the strongest party. There have only been a few hung parliaments. The latest elections resulted in this, and currently the UK has a coalition government, existing out of the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. In May there will be a referendum to change the voting system, and if the voting system as a consequence of this is in fact changed to one of additional voting, then this might all change. Since Germany has a system of proportional representation for the election of its lower house, no one party has ever had a clear majority in the last 60 years, and for this reason all German governments have been coalitions. Finally, there is the question, which reforms of the PM’s position are could be made, and what their advantages and disadvantages would be. One way of reform would be the limit of the PM’s power to a greater extent to prevent the role of PM to be so attached to the person, and instead to be more like the German Chancellor’s position, whose powers are more controlled by the political process. The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee recommended that the government should initiate a public consultation about Ministers executive powers, which would include proposals for legislation to provide for greater parliamentary control over all such ministerial powers. Furthermore, changing the way in which Cabinet meetings and decisions are made would be helpful in a similar way. The PM would still lead the Cabinet, but could not unilaterally ignore their opinions and views and would be forced to take them into account. In addition, by giving the PM perhaps also a more mediating role rather than just a leading role, the resources of various departments would come to better use. The PM would by supporting the other ministers in their responsibilities and by organising better co-operation between the different ministerial departments achieve better results. The better these departments function with each other, the less dependent they would be on the PM, and in that way his power would be limited. In my opinion the rules regarding the operation of parliament and its processes should be clearer as they would provide for another method of limiting the PM’s power. It can also be argued that the entire office of the PM should codified in a statute. The move away from an unwritten constitution – with statutory provisions – limits the PMs scope,for example an Act of Parliament which states that there has to be a PM, how and who should be appointed for the role, and what the powers attached to this position would be. Lastly, the changing of the voting system might lead to far reaching consequences for the office of PM, as explained above. However, at this point, this is all theory as the referendum still has to take place, and even if it takes place, it might show people do not wish a change in the voting system. Even if it does, the politicians will still first have to act on this before anything changes. As this should make clear there are ways in which the position of the Prime Minister can be reformed in a way that will limit his power to the extent that he is no longer too powerful, but still powerful enough to carry out his function in an appropriate way. Conclusion The British Prime Minister has extensive personal power, which prevent there from being an „averageâ€Å" Prime Minister. The power of the PM will change according to the personality of the PM, his popularity, the success of his government, external circumstances and the resources of other actors within the core executive.James Barber argued that by putting the three factors together – constitutional and political frameworks, circumstance and personality – the picture that emerges is one of fluctuating powers, whereby sometimes a PM may appear to have presidential-like position, and at others he is subject to obvious constraints. All these things will have an important effect on how powerful the PM is. As written above, there are some possibilities in which way his power can be reduced and more controlled, and in that way to achieve a â€Å"Cabinet government† rather than a prime ministerial government. The PM should not be a presidential figure, but able to lead the Cabinet and ensure that decisions are made. Bibliography Books: Bogdanor, Vernon _The New British Constitution, 2009 The British Constitution in the Twentieth Century, 2004_____Bradley, A. W. / Ewing, K. D._Constitutional Administrative Law, 15th ed. 2010__Brazier, Rodney_Constitutional Texts – Materials on Government and the Constitution, 1990 Constitutional Reform – Reshaping the British political system __Hilaire, Barnett_Constitutional Administrativ Law, 6th ed.__Loveland, Ian_Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Human Rights – A critical introduction, 2006. __Maurer/ Hartmut_Staatsrecht I – Grundlagen, Verfassungsorgane, Staatsfunktionen, 3th ed__Oliver, Dawn_Government in the United Kingdom, 1991__Parpworth, Neil_Constitutional and Administrative Law, 5th ed. 2008__Turpin, Colin / Tomkins, Adam_British Government and the Constitution, 6th ed. 2007__ Articles: Benn, article in Parliamentary Affairs,  1990. Theakston / Kevin – Prime Ministers and the Constitution, in Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 58   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.1, 2005, 17-37. Heffernan, article in Parliamentary Affairs,  2005. Hennessy, article in Parliamnetary Affairs, 2005

Drumming in Haiti and Cuba

Drumming in Haiti and Cuba Thesis Drumming is practised in a different manner among various communities depending with their corresponding traditions and music1. The subject of drumming in Haiti, its transition and assimilation in Cuba, as well as its general effect on Cuban music will be analyzed within this paper.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Drumming in Haiti and Cuba specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The existence of various instruments in these two nations and the rest of the world creates another area that may require exploration. In connection, the significance of the analysis is discussed within the paper and further details given with regards to how drumming is done in the country: This led to the development of Afro Cuban jazz. Drumming in Haiti is a section of culture that has significantly influenced music in the modern setting. A proper understanding of this art helps appreciate the Haitian culture, as well as recognize its influence on music. An extensive knowledge on the history of drumming in Haiti, the transition process, as well as the influence on modern music is essential for analyzing this topic. In that sense, this paper will cover the history of drumming in Haiti, the different types of drums used as well as their rhythm and meaning to the cultures in Haiti and Cuba. The study also looks at the transition and effect of the art in Cuba and how other cultures borrowed from this Haitian way of life. Introduction Music involves the use of various types of instruments in order to bring out its desired elements. The drum is played either by the use of a stick or directly by the player’s hands.According to various sources, the use of drums for musical purposes is known as drumming. Drumming in Haiti began as a normal practice during Vodou, which is a sacred performance linked with the henotheistic religion. However, the practice transitioned to Cuba with time and led to the emergence of afro Cuban jazz. From that point, many other cultures borrowed the custom, which is currently a common practice around the world. Haitian Vodou Brief history As a developing country, Haiti’s economy grew from the days of slavery that was conducted by slave dealers. The slaves fetched from Africa would have a stopover in this region bordering the Caribbean Sea and Cuba. The slaves had their way of worship.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this was considered backward by the westerners who imposed Catholicism to the slaves2. The slaves, for that matter, established ways of worship that would deceive the slave dealers in order to worship their gods secretively. The African slaves used various types of drums to call on different spirits. In addition, the assigned names to spirits, and call on them for guidance and protection. More so, they consulted the spirits that are believed to grace their ceremonies, which resulted in the emergence of voodoo. Drumming as a culture Haiti is a country known for its emphasis on culture and the continued practice of various rituals borrowed from the ancient Haitians. Vodou, also referred to as voodoo is a practise commonly associated with Haitian culture. The practice is normally considered an exotic perception associated with black magic due to its involvement with the spirit world. However, it is difficult to ascertain the validity of the statement as local participants refer to it as clean practice or culture. Haitians use drumming as a method of connecting with the spirits with an aim of inviting them into their ceremonies. The involvement of the media in practice imprints this notion of black magic to various people. However, the practice of voodoo goes back to over 6000 years and has its roots in Benin, West Africa3. The practice of music remains an integral part of the voodoo religion i n Haiti. Voodoo as practised in Haiti has rich rhythms and beats that have characterised Haitian culture for ages. The religion remains an integral part of Haitian culture to-date despite the misconceptions from other religions. It still incorporates the use of drums and various other instruments. However, it is necessary to note that the extensive use of different drums in voodoo ceremonies has helped to transform the culture4.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Drumming in Haiti and Cuba specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Aspects of Haitian music Drums The use of drums is symbolic in many traditional cultures. They were mainly used to mark religious ceremonies. In jazz, the use of the name â€Å"drum† refers to a host of drums used to produce a rhythm or used together in a certain performance. Drumming as a form art practised in Haiti involved the use of various types of drums. They were mainly used for voodoo, a religious ceremony unique with the Haitians. The drums used in voodoo integrate various techniques that are distinctive to the skill of play. For instance, the Siye is a technique used by the player in voodoo. It involves wiping a drum from an edge to the centre using the fingers to produce a distinctive moaning sound that adds to the rhythm. These drums were divided into groups in accordance with the spirits they were used to summon. The drums commonly used include the Tanbou, Ti Baka, and Maman among others. In a real life situation, each drum corresponds to the existing spirits; hence, determines the purposes attached for each drum. Some were played in singular while others were played in groups consisting of a number of drums. For instance, there are groups that are referred to as: The Rada Batterie The Petwo battier Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The conga drums The Rada Batterie: This assembly of drums includes three drums. These are the Maman, Boula and the Segon. This ensemble included other instruments. In this study, however, the focus is put on the drums. The similarity of the three drums is their conical and slender nature, which has also been replicated among several drums globally. The Maman: Maman is French word meaning mother. The Maman is the tallest, as well as the deepest sounded member of the three drums within the group. For that matter, it plays the leader’s role in Haitian drumming and specifically in this group of drums. It is believed to take its cue from the ceremony’s officiating priests, as well as the present spirits. Over several decades, the drum has been used among the people; hence, it is recognized as one of the best drums within the region. In fact, its magnificent look has attracted several replications around the world. The other uniqueness is its play in that the weaker hand of the player taps the drum directly while the stronger hand plays it with a stick (Baget) of different shapes to produce clicking sounds. While playing the instrument, the player uses both hands, or does it in intervals. The Segon: Segon is derived from a French word that means second. It was the middle drum in the group in terms of the role-played and size. It served to produce a base for the Maman to generate its counterpoint. The Maman, just like the Maman, was originally played with bare hands and a stick, but the style of the stick was noticeably different. The evolvement of music led to the Segon being played with bare hands, specifically in the USA. Recent developments have also seen the Segon replaced with the conga (see picture 1) drums, which are a common feature in both Haiti and the USA today. The Boula: This drum remains the smallest in terms of size and the role-played in the assembly of the three. It serves to boost the rhythm by playing the famous ostinato pattern. The player uses two sticks to play the Boula unlike the Maman and the Segon. The Boula produces an extremely high tone but in agreement with the other two drums. However, Boula’s parts look effortless as compared to the other drums. However, first-class knowledge is required to play it correctly. The Petwo Batterie: This group originally consists of two drums, which include the Ti Baka and Gwo Baka. The drums resemble the modern congas but are slender and have slightly tapered bottoms than the modern congas. Therefore, it takes a fully oriented person to identify the difference between some of these drums. They two drums resemble in appearance; however, are of different dimensions. The skins for the drums have counter hoops made from stiff vines. Their function is to stretch the skin by aid of an existing rope. In addition, there exist wooden wedges lying inside the drum with an adjustable rope for controlling the tension of the skin. However, the evolvement of music has seen th e addition of a drum referred to as Kata to this group. As such, these drums produce a high tone and lead the other instruments in the ensemble. The player uses two sticks. This drum is claimed to hugely increase the rhythm of any music it is added to by the musicians and audience who have listened or played it. The Tanbou: This is one of the most common drums played in Haiti. This drum traces its origin to ancient African’s systems of Vodun6. It remains a key instrument in the production of various rhythms. In addition, the Tanbou is easy to play, as its techniques are straightforward. It is a main indicator of the continued preservation of ancient Haitian culture despite the apparent modernization in other communities. The Tanbou is referred to as the Haitian drum due to its role in culture preservation5. Rhythm The rhythm emerging from the various instruments used is of enormous importance to the Haitian people. Therefore, the differences existing between these rhythms det ermine the drums that should be used for the various functions. The rhythm determines the drum and not the other way round. The rhythms in Haiti remain classified and grouped in families according to their regions of origin. The main rhythms include the Petwo family, Dahomey, and YaYa TiKongo families. The Petwo family: This rhythm family originates from the southern and central regions of Haiti. The drums in this rhythmic family are played after heating in order to generate the required rhythm.Rhythms in this order include the Kita rhythm. The Kita rhythm involves playing of dual goatskin drums by the use of hands only. Dahomey and YaYa TiKongo families: These two families consist of rhythms originating from northern Haiti. The Dahomey rhythm involves the playing of triple cow-skin drums using sticks. Rhythms integrated in this family include the Wandjalà © and Chasà ¨ among others. Meaning of the drums and rhythms The drums and rhythms in Haiti are mainly used for voodoo ceremon ies, which are prevalent within the country. The Haitians held such ceremonies with an aim of inviting the spirits that they worshipped so that they could receive guidance and protection from such spirits. As such, it is correct to note that different rhythms generated from a variety of drum combinations were used to summon various spirits. However, several sources indicate that the Haitians use the drums and rhythms for a number of functions other than as an inducement for spirits. Transition to Cuba Cuba borders the Caribbean Sea Haiti.. The slave dealers used these two regions to enhance slavery as a practice. These slaves brought various cultures from their different countries to Cuba. Haiti and Cuba interacted in various activities such as trade. The interactions of various slaves with various musical cultures led to the integration of practises found in the various ways of lives in both Cuba and Haiti. In addition, these interactions caused the filtration of various cultural p ractises to either side of the countries with time. Key to these cultural practises is drumming. The afro-Cuban jazz The afro-Cuban jazz is a form of Latin jazz that originated from the fusion of different African musical cultures. Afro-Cuban jazz involves the use of various musical gadgets such as the piano, congas and drums. These drums came about from their use by the slaves in Haitian culture. Musicians accepted and redeveloped this form of music to afro- Cuban jazz around 1943. Afro Cuban jazz remains a common practice in modern day. It is practised both in Cuba as well as other countries such as the United States if America6. The spread of Haiti/Cuba drumming rituals The Haiti/Cuba rituals are practised in various countries in the modern world. The use of Haitian drums in countries such as the USA amongst others shows a filtration of the culture to other nations. This happens due to the interaction of various cultures in multinational activities that such as sports, and many o ther activities. As a matter of fact, these drums prevalent in the modern world, and are frequently used for varying purposes7. Conclusion Drumming is an art that is still practised in the modern world. Various cultures borrowed from this culture due to its rich history and uniqueness. The widespread use of drumming in religion in Africa and the rest of the world serves to cement the influence of this culture. It is therefore realistic that the Haitian and Cuban cultural practices have had a significant influence on several societies, which have adopted the use of their instruments. Bibliography Brill, Mark. Music of Latin America and the Caribbean. New Jersey: prentice hall,  2011. Gebert, Lizabeth. Displacements and transformations in Caribbean cultures. Florida:  University Press of Florida, 2008. Geggus, David. The world of Haitian revolution. Indiana: Indiana University press,  2009. Kallen, Stuart. Voodoo. Michigan: Lucent books, 2005.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"List of Caribbean Membran ophone.† Wikipedia. Accessed from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_membranophones. Manuel, Peter. Creolizing Contradance in the Caribbean. Philadelphia: Temple  University Press, 2009. Prahlad, Anand. The greenwood encyclopaedia of African American folklore. Oxford:  Greenwood press, 2006. Footnotes 1. Peter Manuel, Creolizing Contradance in the Caribbean (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2009), 23-29. 2. David Geggus, The world of Haitian revolution (Indiana: Indiana university press, 2009), 55-66. 3. Anand Prahlad, The greenwood encyclopaedia of African American folklore (Oxford: Greenwood press, 2006), 102-107. 4. Stuart Kallen, Voodoo (Michigan: lucent books, 2005), 22-24. 5. â€Å"List of Caribbean Membranophone,† Wikipedia. 6. Mark Brill, Music of Latin America and the Caribbean (New Jersey: prentice hall, 2011),  33-34. 7. Lizabeth Gebert, Displacements and transformations in Caribbean cultures (Florida: University Press of Florida, 200 8), 44-48.

Week 6 Project Deliverable 3 Submission Assignment

Week 6 Project Deliverable 3 Submission - Assignment Example The database is going to be designed based on the various requirements that are to be integrated in the Order management System, Inventory System and the Supply processing system. The general idea for the implementation of the database schema would adopt a general flow basing on the fact transactions in a certain business entity take a general format of: 6. The ordering process will capture the essential requirements of the customer for instance the customer name, physical address, contact information, the type of goods that have been ordered and their specific quantities. 7. The ordering process be able to forward a report to the supply processing system where stock issues will be done and will be able to make the necessary adjustments on the stock level quantities upon retrieval from the stores The database design process will be divided into different autonomous design tasks relative to the followed design process. Particular emphasis will be laid on the logical database design and the physical database design (Teorey et al, 2011). The logical database design main objective is to determine the relevant user requirements, examination of the process flows of the existing system with an aim of identifying the challenges that are faced by the user of the system. It is also aimed at studying the specific business environment of the company. Therefore, the expected outcome will be the emergence and formulation of a system-independent database description that meets the key requirements (Teorey et al, 2011). It represents the database actual implementation process in relation to the system that exists. The physical database design is dependent on the RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) which is adopted by the user (Teorey et al, 2011). The software and the hardware environments greatly influence the structure. The system will be used by different personalities of which important roles

Academic Plan for Improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic Plan for Improvement - Essay Example I have a wish to get good grades by the end of this course. To make my academic wish come true, I have committed to various study habits, which include drawing a timetable for study, sticking to it, and morning reviews of my class notes. During my morning reviews, I plan to spend the time rewriting key concepts of various subjects learned on the previous day. In addition, after finishing every course, I plan to take time to link courses to daily life to make them more fulfilling to my life. By following my study time well, I will have ample time to study and sleep, even during exams. To remain focused during study time, I will inquire from other students how they are making it, form group discussions with them to motivate and challenge me. In addition, give me rewards for following my timetables well, attending classes, and getting good grades. My obstacles in life are largely past failures and health issues, which remind me of a possibility of failure in future academic endeavors. I have told myself repeatedly that I do not need to fear about sicknesses because they are part of life. I am trying to overcome this fear by reading a book by Norman Vincent Pearle on the Power Of Positive Thinking and encourage myself that sickness will not affect my studies. I have committed to taking a balanced diet to boost my immunity and avoid communicable diseases. Another of my greatest fears has been how I will balance my studies and my family. This is because when I come home in the evenings, I need to spend time with my family, and at the same time have a few minutes to review my notes and do some assignments. Usually, my children draw their inspiration to read from me, which makes them stay focused on their studies. In the timetable, I have slotted a time to my children and reduced the time I had to watch TV in the evenings to ensure that I have enough sleep to start my day fresh.